Hampton Wants To Get Bay Days Bucks Back

Hampton City Manager Jesse Wallace will send a letter next week to the nonprofit that runs Hampton Bay Days asking for a full refund of $150,000 that the city contributed to the event.

The three-day festival scheduled for Sept. 5-7 was canceled because of Tropical Storm Hanna, which blew through the area Sept. 6.

"Since the event did not occur, I think I'm obligated to ask for a full refund," Wallace said.

When asked if he expects to get the full amount, Wallace said, "I'm sure they're going to want to talk about it."

Hampton Bay Days, a nonprofit organization with a downtown Hampton office at 34 Wine St., is in charge of the event by the same name. The nonprofit raised $515,807 in revenue in 2006, the most recent year for which its federal tax forms are accessible.

That year, Bay Days spent $354,036 on program services - everything from educational displays about Chesapeake Bay conservation and fireworks to carnival rides and music by The Charlie Daniels Band.

Last year, Bay Days had a budget of more than $600,000 and drew more than 135 vendors.

Bay Days raises money by charging vendors for space.

This year, a vendor selling arts and crafts paid $250 for a 10 foot by 10 foot space, and a vendor selling anything that isn't food or crafts paid $600 for a 10-by-10 space.

The cost to food vendors was $1,000 to $1,600 for a space ranging in size from 10-by-20 to 20-by-20 and depending on the location.

Nonprofit groups pay $25 for a space on Community Lane, an area that showcases local organizations.

Bay Days also charges for electricity - $50 to $125 depending on the voltage - and an application fee of $25.

Vendor fees, the city of Hampton's contribution and other revenue, such as donations, pays for rides and entertainment, among other things.

The musical lineup this year included headliners Bruce Hornsby, Ricky Skaggs and Tony! Toni! Tone!

This year's festival would have been the 26th annual Bay Days, an event that draws about 250,000 people to downtown Hampton over the weekend.

Vendors started setting up the morning of Sept. 5 but disassembled their tents and tarps after organizers canceled the event that afternoon because Virginia was under a state of emergency order in advance of the storm.

The question now: Where is the money that would have paid for rides, music and entertainment?

The Daily Press contacted Bay Days Executive Director Shelly Ezanno last week for an answer. Ezanno called back and said the best way for her to address a media inquiry was to have a list of questions e-mailed to her and she would respond.

A list of questions was sent, and more than a week later, Ezanno has not responded. She also did not return several phone calls this week.

Bay Days has an insurance policy that might cover lost expenses from Tropical Storm Hanna if the storm is considered an "act of God," Hampton Bay Days past president and board member John C. "Jack" Pope has said.

Pope deferred to Ezanno, saying she has been corresponding with the insurance company so the nonprofit can be reimbursed.

"All of us are a little upset that the insurance company hasn't been quicker," Pope said.

One vendor, Jean Lupico of Newport News, set up shop to sell grilled and fried seafood from his stand, Dockside Cafe. Lupico said he paid $1,650 in fees to Bay Days and bought about $2,000 worth of fish, and $500 of it was a loss because the event was canceled.

All vendors are required by Bay Days to have insurance coverage of at least $1 million, but it's liability insurance to cover something such as a person getting sick from the food, and does not cover expenses or losses due to an event being canceled, Lupico said.

Lupico is waiting to hear from Bay Days to see if the nonprofit's insurance coverage will help pay the loss to him and other vendors.

It was wise to cancel the event during the storm, he said, but it should have been continued on Saturday night and Sunday when the weather was sunny and clear.

"I know they lost money, too," Lupico said. "We all did."

Bay Days fees

$25 - Cost for a not-for-profit to exhibit on Community Lane

$12-$25 - Cost to enter a car in the Hampton Bay Days Car Show

$50 - Cost of 110 volts for an arts or crafts vendor

$95 - Cost for a food vendor for 110 volts of electricity

$125 - Cost for a food vendor for 220 volts of electricity

$25 - Application fee for all vendors

$50 - Nonrefundable late fee charged June 15 if an application is incomplete or missing a required form